Chain-making machine



H. WEINACKER.

CHAIN MAKING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED Nov. 20. 1911.

1, 40,639. Patented May 18,1920.

4 SHEETS-SHEET l.

a nvm/1to1 H. WEINACKER. vCHAIN MAKING MACHINE.

APPucATloN FILED Nov. 2o. 1917.

1,340,639, Patented May 18, 1920.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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H. WEINACKER.

CHAIN MAKING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED Nov. 20. 1917.

j1,340,653,59. Patented May 18, 1920.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

H. WEINACKER.

CHAIN MAKING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED Mov. 20. IsI.

1,340,639, Patented May 18,1920.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

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srkfras' rf HERMANN WEINACKER, OF PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, "'10 GENERAL `CIIAIN' COMPANY, OF PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND,"A CORPORATION OF MASSACHUSETTS.

CHAIN-MAKING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May-18,1920.

Application filed November 20, 1917. Serial No. 203,017.

To all who/1n t may concern Be it known that I, HERMANN TVmNacken, a subject of the Emperor of Germany, and resident of the city of Providence, in the county of Providence and State of `Rhode Island, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Chain-Making Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to machines for automatically making chain of the class more particularly adapted for personal wear. p

rllhe object of this invention is to provide such a machine adapted to continuously and automatically make chain from wire, and also to so construct the machine that it may be caused to vary the length of the links at intervals along the length of the chain, all of which mechanism and its operation are hereinafter described.

lVith these and other objects in view, the invention consists of certain novel features of construction, as will be more fully described, and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

ln the accompanying drawings:

Figure l is a front elevation of my improved machine.

Fig. 2- is an enlarged view partially in section showing a group of the'wire-feeding mechanism.

Fig. S-.is a plan view of the machine and showing that portion around the link-forming head broken away to better illustrate the action of the machine. i

Fig. /l-is a plan view in section illustrating the mechanism for operating the linkclosing fingers. l

F ig. 5 is a side elevation showing a general arrangement of the mechanism which operates the link-closing fingers.

Fig. 6- is a detail showing thelink-opening aws and the die which closes the ends of the link.

Fig. "11- is a sectional side elevation of the Vlink-forming head.

Fig. 8- is atop view of the linkforming head Vshowing the same rotated at 90O and in position toi permit the next advancing 'feedof the 'wire to pass through the link previously formed.

Fig. 9- is an enlarged detail illustrating the means for locking the head in its down position while the bending jaws are being actuated to perform their functions.

Fig. 10- is a detail illustrating the cam, its yoke and lever by means of which the link-forming head is rotated its 900.

Fig. 11 is a detail in perspective of the link-supporting fork whichrserves to support the lower end of the link while being forced by the forming tool downbetween the bending jaws. p

Fig. 12- is a side elevation partly in sec tion illustrating the mechanism for controlling the position and the operation of the link-forming arbor.

Fig. 13- isa perspective view showing the large link as being formed about the corresponding portion of the arbor.

Fig. 14- is the same as Fig. 18 but showing the small link as being formed about its portion of the arbor. i

Fig. `l5 is a perspective view showing the support for the outer end of the wire.

' .Fig 16- is a view looking at the end of tions of chains having different combinations of large and small links.

Referring to the drawings, 2O designates the bed of the machine on which all of the mechanism is supported, the same being mounted on legs 2l. On this bed are two main bearings 22 in which the main cam shaft 23 is mounted to. be driven ythrough :the pulleys 24. An auxiliary cam shaft 25 receives its motion from the main through gears 26, 27 andQS. The ratio of the 'driving speeds between these shafts may be varied at will, to produce any desired variation inthe relative formation ofthe links. That now to be described is foifforiniiig chain having alternate large and small links.

Forward` of the main shaft is mounted a. rock shaft 29 on which most of the cam folded into U-shape by being forced between levers operated from the main shaft are pivoted.

rlhe wire 19 is fed to the machine from the reel 31, through the reciprocating feed block 30 and under the loose jam plate 33, see Fig. 2, which is caused to bite the wire under pressure of the roll 34, from the cam 35 through the lever arms 36 and the plunger 37. This feed block is advanced by the cam 38 through the lever 39 pivoted at 40 by engagement of its lower end 41 therewith, the block being returned under pressure of the spring 42. The extent of advance of this block being due to the extent of stroke of this lever, the length of which is controlled by the positioning of the limit screw 43 which limits the backward movement of this lever. After the wire has been advanced a length it is bound by the plate 44 under pressure of the pin 45 from the cam 46 through the lever 47 and plunger 48 so as to prevent it from moving backward when the feed block returns for another bite. This wire extends over the cutter anvil 49 and over the forming head, with its extremity resting` in the support 50.

When the short length of wire is being fed for the purpose of making a small link a, the head 52 of the stop screw, see Fig. 2, is raised into the path of movement of the nuts 53 on the threaded shaft 43, by means of the cam 54, see Fig. 3, through the rod 55, lever 56 and plunger 57, thereby shortening up the return stroke of the actuating arm 39; and when the large link b is desired this stop head 52 is dropped permitting the nuts to return their full stroke against the abutment 53. When the short length of wire has been fed, its extremity extends a predetermined distance beyond the center line of the forming head and,.therefore, in order that the ends of the link shall be central above the arbor this wire must be severed an equal distance on the opposite side of this center line. Therefore in order to accomplish this l have provided a cutter 59 which is adapted to be moved longitudinally along the length of the wire, from the severing point 60 of the long link, to the severing point 61 of the short link, see Fig. 7, which longitudinal movement is accomplished by action of the cam 62 through the lever arm 63 pivoted at 64. @n the plunger 65 is mounted the roll 66, which acts upon the inclined edge 67 of the carrier 68 causing this carrier in which the cutter 59 is mounted, to slide longitudinally to the right on suitable bearings to move the cutter over `the notch 61, and when this plunger 65 is released it rises under action of its spring 69 permitting this-carrier under action of its spring 70, to return and bring the cutter yback over the notch 60. The cutter itself is carried in the plunger 80 to reciprocate vertically in the longitudinally movable carrier 68 so that whenv in the advanced position for cutting short lengths at the point 61 it is actuated by the cam 81 on the shaft `23, through the lever 82 to'be` forced downward to sever the wire at this point; and when it returns to the point 60 it is then operated by the cam S3, on shaft 25, throughthe lever 84. As soon' as released by either of these levers the plunger rises by action of the spring `85 to raise. the cutter from severing position.

The severed length of wire ris now engaged by the forming arbor S6, see Figs. 12, 13 and 14, and by it forced downward between tlie open wire-bending jaws 8T, see Fig. 7, the operation of which is hereinafter described. The action of this arbor is as follows: The arbor itself is slidably mounted in the sleeve 38, which in turn is mounted in the reciprocating head S9 adapted `to slide vertically in the bearing 90. When the small link is to be formed, then the lever 91, under action of the cam 92, serves to move this arbor to the right, bringing its reduced or smaller portion 93 in line with the wire. raised by the cam 105v through the member 96 and rock arm 9T, to engage the collar 100 and retain the arbor in the desired longitudinal position, at which time the cam 94 through the lever 95 and head 39 `causes the arbor to descend and lightly engage the link in its under groove 155 as illustrated in Fig. 16, to prevent the same from moving out of position while the jaws 87 of the forming head release the chain and rotate 90o into the position illustrated in Fig. 17 at which time the cam 103 through the lever 104 completes the downward stroke of the arbor to bend the wire into U-shape between the jaws 87.

j The upper ends of the U-shaped link are now partially vclosed together over the upper edge of the arbor by mechanism hereinafter described. `This arbor is withdrawn endwise from the link just formed by another rotation of cam 92 when the head is permitted to rise to its normal position under action of the spring 106 ready for another operation. When the long link `is being formed the arbor in its head 89 is forced down an increased distance by means of the larger cam 107 on the shaft 25 through the lever 108.

After the length of wire has been cut and forced down into U-shape between the jaws 87, it is found necessary to provide an auxiliary means' for a preliminary closing of these ends over the upper edge of the arbor.

rlhe stop 99 is now .these fingers into `position vto straddle the projecting ends ofthe open link, then the collar 111 bringsup against the stop nuts 113 after which the lever continuing its forward motion advances'the sleeve to move its small screws y122 into .engagement with the beveled edges of the jaws 110, thereby closing the jaws and causing the fingers 109 to engage kand partially close the free ends of the link over the upper edge ofthe arbor.

. It is only necessary now -f-or the` die 123 to be forced downward,- under; action of its cam 124, lever 125 andv plunger 126 forfully closing andcausing the ends to abut squarely one against the other.`

In order to manipulate the different links and assist informingthem and linking them one with the other successively, I have provided, what I term, a .flink-forming head the construction and operation of which are best illustrated in Fig. 7. The body portion of the head :comprises essentially a base plate 127 having two spaced-apart side walls 128, the whole, being supported on a tubular shaft 129 which extends down through the bed 20 of the machine. Between these side walls are mounted the` jaws 87 ,on 'pivot pins 130, which jaws are actuated to close on the wire link by a T-head member 131, which head member is also provided with afhollow shaft 132 extending through shaft 129.

lThrough :the center of this T-head shaft extends `an inner tubular. shaft 133, the upper end of which lsupports the linksup kporting fork 134, which latter is shown on an enlarged scale in Fig. 11. The branches of this fork are grooved on their upper ends to receive the wire when forced down by the arbor into the jawsto determine the depth to which the U-shaped link member shall be forced therein, the elevation of this fork being. controlled by the .cam 135 through the member 136, lever arm 137 whose outer arm 13S engages this tubulary shaft, so that when the small link is to be formed this fork is held iny its up position and when the large v link is to be formed it isiheld in its down position.` The chain 51Has formed hangs down through the center of vthis inner shaft as indicated by the dot-dashlines in this figure. The jaws 87 are opened and closed and rock arm 141, its outer end -142 engaging the lower endof the tubular shaft 132,

' whereby raisingthis shaft causes the T-head acting through the engaging points 143 to close the jaws and when released by the cam, the jaws are opened through the tension springs 144.

After theends of. the link have been closed over `theA arbor by means of the die 123, above described, the arbor is then withdrawn endwise and the head is rotated 900 4by :the action of the cams 145 and 146 on vshaft 23 through the fork 147 and slide bar 148 which has a depending pin 1.49 engaging the slotted lever 150 secured to the forminghead shaft 129, thereby bringing the'head into the position illustrated inFig. 8, into lwhich position the whole head is now raised through the action of the above-mentioned cam 139. The head is now supported in this up position by cam 151, member 152, see Fig. 1, rock arm 153 whose outer end 154 engages the end of the tubular shaft 129 so that the link justformed will be inline rand position to permit the next advancing length of wire to pass therethrough after which the lever 141 under action of its cam permits the .T-head to drop to open the jaws 87 after which the head returns to its seat, the arbor descends causing its groovedout under por- 'tion 155 to engage theilink tovprevent lateral movement thereof. The length ofthe wire is then severed by the cutter, the head is rotated 90O back to the position illustrated in Fig. 7, and the arbor descends to bend the wire, after which the ends are closed over the arbor, all-as described.

In order to insure the head returning to its seat when rotated back into the 'position illustrated in Fig. 7, and prevent' it from subsequently rising, I have provided a pair of over-hanging lips 156, see Figs. 8 and 9, which engage pins 170 on the head member', locking the head member securely in position against rising while undergoing the wire-bending operations.

The wire-supportingmember is made with a V-shaped groove 171, see Fig. 15, which is open on its upper edge, whereby the extremity of the wire is supported, but

which extremity, owing to the upper side of chain-making machine for making links of different lengths is kvas follows:

The wire is fed in from the reel 31 b vthe wire-feeding device. Then a length for a large link is to be fed the feed lever 39 is permitted to takefits long stroke to advance a` length of wire sufficient for this link. The larger portion 102 of the arbor is then positioned to retain the link, the cutter `59' is then movedback to sever the wire at the 4point 60,.the arbor descends to bend the endwise from the link and raised for the next operation, which in this particular in* stance is the forming of the small link. After the stop 52 is raised to prevent the feed lever from 4returning its maximum stroke the short length of wire is fed. The arbor is now withdrawn slightly to bring the small size link portion 93 over the wire, the cutter 59 is now advanced alongthe length of the arm to sever the wire at the point 6l, so that the ends will be equally` distanced on opposite sides of the center line through the link-forming jaws. The rest of the operations are then performed, all as above described; first a long and then a short link being formed, which arrangement of links'is controlled by the ratio of the gearing between the main and the auxiliary cam shaft.

By the control of the ratio of revolutions of these two shafts any desired combination of long and short links may be obtained.

The foregoing description is directed solely toward the construction illustrated, but I desire it to be understood that I reserve the privilege of resorting to all the mechanical changes to which the device is susceptible, the invention being defined and limited only by the terms of the appended claims.

I claim:

l. In a chain machine, a link-forming head, means for feeding the wire to said head, wire severing means, means for shifting said severing means for cutting the wire into predetermined lengths differing from the length of wire bed, and means for bending the different lengths into links of different sizes.

2. In a chain machine, a link-forming head, means for feeding wire to said head, a cutter, means for automatically moving said cutter along the length of the wire to sever it into different predetermined lengths, and means for bending said lengths into links of dierent sizes.

3. In a chain machine, a link-forming head, a pair of bending jaws in said head, means for advancing different lengths of wire to said jaws, a cutter, means for causing said cutter to intermittently sever the wire into lengths differing from that fed by the wire feed, and means for bending the different lengths into links of different sizes;

4. In a chain machine, a link-forming head, a pair of bending jaws in said head, means for advancing different lengths of wire to said jaws, a cutter, means for causing v said cutter to intermittently sever the wire into lengths diering from'that fed by the wire feed, link-forming arbors of different sizes, means for selecting and positioning the ldifferent sized arbors corresponding to the means for advancing different lengths of' wire to said jaws, a cutter, means for causing said cutter to intermittently sever the wire into lengths differing from that fed by the wire feed, means for bending the different lengths into links of different sizes, link-forming arbors of different sizes, means for selecting and positioning the different sized arbors corresponding to the size of link to be formed,-means` for forming the different links thereover, and means for imparting to the dierent arbors the different strokes required for forming the links of different sizes thereover.

6.In a chain machine, aholder through which the chain passes as formed, a pair of link-bendingy jaws in said holder, means for intermittently feeding different lengths of wire tovsaid holder through the next previ ouslyformed link, a cutter, means for automatically moving said cutter longitudinally along the wire, means 4for operating said cutter, and means for presenting different sizes of an arbor around which each length is bent into links of different shapes.

7. In a chain machine, a holder through which the chain passes as formed, a pair of link-bending jaws in saidholder, means for feeding diil'erent lengths of wire to said jaws, means for severing the wire into predetermined lengths, means for automatically presenting arbors of different sizes corresponding to the `length of wire cut, and means for causing said jaws to bend said lengths into link form about said dierent arbors.

8. In a chain machine, a holder through which the chain passes as formed, a pair of link-bending jaws in said holder, means for intermittently adjusting the wire feed to advance different lengths of wire to said holder, a cutter, means including said cutter for severing the wire into predetermined lengths, and means for successively presenting said lengths to said jaws to be bent into links of dierent sizes.

9. In a chain machine, a link-forming head, a pair of bendingjaws in said head, means for feeding different lengths of wire to said jaws, a bottom support between said jaws for the loop end of the link, means for forcing thewire into said jaws against said support, and means for automatically moving said support to accommodate links of different sizes.

l0. In a chain machine, a link-forming head, a pair of bending jaws in said head, means for alternately advancing different lengths of wire to said aws, a cutter, means "for, causing said cutter to intermittently sever the wire into lengths differing from that fed by the stroke of the wire feed, linkforming arbor's of different sizes corresponding to the size of links to be formed, means for first advancing said arbor to engage and reta-in the link neXt previously formed, means for then positioning said jaws for the bending operation, and means for subsequently completing the bending stroke of said arbor to form the links thereover.

11. In a machine, a link-forming head, a pair of wire-bending j aws in said head, means for alternately feeding different lengths of wire to said jaws, a cutter, means for adjusting said cutter to sever the wire into different lengths irrespective of the length of the wire feed, a bottom support between said jaws for the loop end of the link, an arbor, means for moving the arbor to force the bight of the wire into said jaws against said support, means for varying the bending stroke of the arbor, and means for moving said support to accommodate links of different sizes.

.12. In an automatic chain-making machine, wire-bending means, means for severing the wire as fed into different predetermined lengths, means for forming and connecting links of different sizes from the different lengths of wire, means whereby said link-forming means may be adjusted to form different combinations of thedifferent sized links, and means whereby these combinations may be varied.

13. In an automatic chain-forming machine, means for feeding and severing wire into different lengths, means for shaping the wire of different lengths into links of different sizes and connecting together said links, means including cams operated by a main and an auxiliary cam shaft for operating said link-forming mechanism, and means whereby the speed ratio of said shafts may be varied to provide different combinations of link formations.

14. In a chain machine, a link-forming head, a pair of bending jaws in said head, means for feeding different lengths of wire to said jaws, means for forcing the wire into said jaws, and means for automatically adjusting said jaws to accommodate links of different sizes.

In testimony whereof I alix my signature in presence of a witness.

HERMANN VVEINACKER.

lVitness HOWARD E. BARLOW. 

